Penda's (largely unbuilt) work is typified by a graceful use of repetitive geometric elements and lots and lots of curves—there's quite a bit of Bjarke Ingels' influence kicking around in there, but their work also shows an impressive and exciting attention to detail at a variety of scales, from exploring how small, triangular units can fit together to form benches to massive and towering sprays of bamboo.

Their "Cola Bow," an arch made from 17,000 re-purposed plastic bottles, is a particularly smart repetition of a basic element to form a colourful and swooping outdoor roof, almost an aboveground tunnel for the city.

I've thrown some of the more interesting images of their work into this post.

A Calatrava-esque "Campus Landmark" for Shenzhen Southern University of Science and Technology, by Penda.

But, of course, it's the proposed bridge in Salford that first caught our attention.

The suspension cables and the giant, off angled ring they'd be attached to form a huge mathematical object hanging in space, a beautifully confusing structure to see and, presumably, an equally compelling to experience spatially.

Although there is apparently no chance at all that this will actually be built in Salford any time soon, here is at least one vote for someone to build this thing elsewhere—and an enthusiastic call to see hypothetical suspension bridge designs continue to play with unexpected sources of stability, include rings, knots, bows, and arches, mathematical models disguised as urban infrastructure and pinned down across rivers and parks like rare butterflies.